Heidi Klum, 47, says her lookalike daughter Leni, 16, is interested in modeling after being kept out of the ‘public eye’: ‘She is old enough now’
Heidi Klum revealed her eldest child has been interested in following her footsteps for quite some time, after being kept of of the ‘public eye’ during her childhood.
Despite turning down plenty of modeling opportunities over the years to protect her 16-year-old daughter’s privacy, the mother-of-four believes Leni is ‘old enough now.’
‘I always thought she was too young. We always also decided to keep the children out of the public eye,’ the former Victoria’s Secret Angel, 47, told People.
Mother daughter duo: Heidi Klum revealed her eldest child has been interested in following her footsteps for quite some time, after spending years out of the ‘public eye’
Leni’s birth father is Flavio Briatore but she was adopted by Heidi’s ex-husband Seal. Her full name is Helene Boshoven Samuel.
Heidi continued: ‘But she’s driving a car now, she’s 16, so I figured if you can do that, you can also model now if this is what you wish to do.’
The wife of Tom Kaulitz also revealed she often brings her teenager on different TV sets to look and learn.
‘I think it’s very interesting to her,’ the American’s Got Talent judge noted. ‘When you’re that age you’re still trying to figure out who you are, what you want to be and kind of see for the first time what are all these different jobs to make a TV show happen.’
Model footsteps: Despite turning down plenty of modeling opportunities over the years to protect her 16-year-old daughter privacy, the mother-of-four believes Leni is ‘old enough now’ (pictured in October)
After revealing her lookalike ‘does want to do what’ Klum does, she reflected on the possibilities, including passing down her hosting duties on Germany’s Next Top Model.
‘Who knows, maybe in five years when I’m not hosting the show anymore maybe it’s going to be like Germany’s Next Top Model by Leni Klum instead of Heidi Klum,’ she remarked, after 14 years on the America’s Next Top Model spin-off.
As for Leni, Klum revealed ‘she’s kind of playing with this idea.’
‘Who knows, maybe in five years when I’m not hosting the show anymore maybe it’s going to be like Germany’s Next Top Model by Leni Klum instead of Heidi Klum,’ the mother-of-four gushed
While Klum is very supportive, after starting her own modeling career at 18, she has never sugarcoated the harsh realities of the industry.
‘You have to be a strong person, especially as a woman you have to be very strong,’ she stressed, after pointing out the travel demands.
And, at times, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover girl admitted she struggles to balance her online presence and pleasing her family.
‘You have to be a strong person, especially as a woman you have to be very strong,’ Klum stressed, after pointing out the travel demands (Leni pictured)
Klum, who is also a mother to Henry, 15, Johan, 14, and 11-year-old Lou, said her little ones aren’t always pleased with some of her more risqué posts.
‘I’m definitely more open with my body and I’m an outgoing person. I am from Germany and I am, you know, I don’t always tend to wear the most clothes,’ she mused.
Despite getting a ‘nudge’ from her kids to be more modest, she joked that she doesn’t listen their advice on how to entertain her more than 7.7 million followers.